Question

In a HTTP request, what is the purpose of the User-Agent header field?

1) To handle authentication, i.e. allow the user to pass in username and password
2) To specify in what format the user wants the response
3) To specify what browsers are installed on the client machine
4) To specify the URL being requested
5) To specify what browser is issuing the request, plus other information such as the OS version etc.

Answer 1

The User-Agent header in an HTTP request is used to specify what browser is issuing the request and additional information like the OS version, not for authentication, response format, or specifying the URL.

Step-by-step explanation:

The purpose of the User-Agent header field in an HTTP request is to specify what browser is issuing the request, along with additional details such as the operating system version and possibly other relevant software information. This field informs the server about the client's software, enabling the server to tailor responses best suited for that software. For example, a web service might send different versions of a webpage depending on whether the User-Agent string indicates a mobile browser or a desktop browser. It is not used for authentication, specifying response format, detailing installed browsers, or specifying the requested URL.